A review by shanaqui
A Proposal to Die For by Vivian Conroy

adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Lady Alkmene is somewhat in the Phryne Fisher/Daisy Dalrymple/Veronica Speedwell mold, and in this case is a rather independent young woman of a wealthy background who gets herself involved in other people's business, trying to solve mysteries and crimes she sees around her. Jake Dubois is a man with a somewhat chequered past who gets involved and tries to keep her in check, and prevent her from getting herself hurt.

It's a fun enough setup, and I enjoyed the story, racing right through it. There were things which didn't ring very true, especially the dialogue -- it doesn't quite sound like something characters at that time would say, or at least not these characters and not to each other. For some people, it would stick out like a sore thumb and ruin the whole thing, I'm sure. For me, it was just a bit of a road block.

I'm definitely going to read more in this series; it's the perfect light bathtime reading, and definitely in the same sort of wheelhouse as the characters I mentioned above -- though Lady Alkmene is infinitely less practical than those three, and has a lot to learn, I think her further adventures will be fun.